Warwickshire’s ebullient season shows no sign of flagging after they booked a Royal London Cup semi-final next week by beating Essex by 67 runs at Chelmsford.

Five days after lifting the Twenty20 Cup at Edgbaston, the question was could the Bears rise, physically and mentally, to yet another big test?

The answer: a resounding yes as they completed a quickfire limited-overs double over Essex with a victory even more emphatic than in the T20 quarter-final four weeks ago.

On a pitch which was decent for batting but far from the plum surface for that T20 tussle the Bears amassed 271 for seven thanks mainly to Jonathan Trott (61, 68 balls) and Rikki Clarke (68, 84).

Their batting was professional – their bowling was then superb, led by Clarke (three for 40) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (four for 44).

While Jesse Ryder was clubbing his way to 90 from 95 balls, the home side were in the match but the Bears held their nerve – and their catches – to preserve their hopes of achieving a remarkable treble this season.

Put in, Warwickshire advanced steadily to 62 in 15 overs then lost both openers in 15 balls from spinner Tom Westley. That left them in a similar position to last week’s final group game at Trent Bridge.

On that occasion it was Trott and Tim Ambrose who repaired the damage. This time, with Ambrose injured, Clarke moved up to number four and helped Trott add 118 in 23 overs.

Trott’s departure triggered a wobble as Freddie Coleman lasted only six balls and the Bears entered the last ten overs on 187 for four and in need of late impetus. It came very late.

Laurie Evans lifted to backward point and Clarke miscued to mid-off, having hit four fours and what was the only six of the innings until Pete McKay struck two in the last over.

Ravi Bopara looked dangerous, as he tends to do, then perished loosely, as he too often does, edging a loose drive at Boyd Rankin to slip.

Ryder and James Foster added 48 but Clarke, recalled to the attack for the 25th over, delivered a wicket-maiden during which Foster chipped to Hannon-Dalby at mid-off.

The potentially destructive Ryder, having reined himself in, reached his half-century in 63 balls and then start climbing dangerously into his shots.

But the Bears continued to nip out wickets. Jeetan Patel came back on and trapped Ryan ten Doeschate lbw first ball. Then came the big one.

Ryder blazed Hannon-Dalby to point. Five yards to either right or left and it would have been four – but the ball flew straight to Chopra who tossed up the catch to the delight of team-mates whose whoops of celebrations echoed round the near-silenced ground.